Top Tips to Relieve Stress

Top Tips to Relieve Stress 

Locating insightful methods to relieve stress can end up exacerbating the situation instead of curing it. It can feel like a never-ending uphill battle, which can create even more stress in your life! Nevertheless, this article is here to help take some of that weight off your shoulders. Before continuing, let's look at what stress is and when you are experiencing it.

What is Stress 

Stress is a reaction that is caused by your body when reacting to pressurising or threatening situations. This pressure can be emotional, physical or both. It is vital to acknowledge that experiencing stress is very common and, in some instances, acts as motivation. These can be through everyday demands at home or within the workplace. However, too much stress can be overwhelming, harming your body. So, you must be aware of techniques that can help to relieve stress.

What Does Stress Look Like?

Symptoms of stress can be present physically, emotionally and mentally. Therefore, understanding the different channels allows you to realise how your body works best to relieve stress. Here is a breakdown of symptoms to watch out for when operating under stressful circumstances.

Physical Symptoms 

• Body aches and pains
• Dizziness and headaches
• High blood pressure
• Tension in muscles
• Exhaustion or difficulty sleeping

Emotional Symptoms 

• Irritability
• Mood swings
• Compulsive behaviour
• Lack of ability to concentrate

Mental Symptoms 

• Feeling overwhelmed, like life is out of your control
• Difficulty relaxing or calming your mind
• Avoiding social situations
• Feeling insecure and experiencing low self-esteem

What Causes Stress?

Many aspects of life can create stress. However, the causes of stress will vary from person to person. In addition, how one reacts to stress-inducing environments will also differ and showing different signs to other people around you is normal. As stated above, no two people will have the same experience. Therefore, please don't compare yourself to others as everyone's experience with stress is personal to them. Similarly, how one person chooses to relieve stress will also be different to others, as the same techniques won't work for everyone.

Listed below are some of the more common causes of stress:

• Big life changes
• Financial instability
• Too many responsibilities
• Lack of control over situations
• Obsessive worrying about upcoming events (exams, interviews).

Sometimes stress can be caused by one or more of the situations listed above. Furthermore, it isn't as simple as one cause being solely responsible. Therefore, noticing it when it first appears is key to being able to relieve stress.

Tips to Relieve Stress 

Techniques to relieve stress help to calm both your mind and body. It is possible to have one method that works at home and not in the workplace. Different techniques will work better in different scenarios, which is where practice comes in. To reiterate, this is normal as relief is not a 'one size fits all' strategy as it is subjective. There are different categories used for tips to relieve stress. Furthermore, these categories are dependent on whether you need short-term relief; or whether you need long-term measurements.

Short-Term Fixes  

Short-term fixes are methods that you can practice anywhere to relieve stress. In addition, they take very little time to master and provide immediate relief. Examples of strategies are:

Meditation  

Meditation works to relieve stress in the short term, as well as long-lasting benefits in stress management. There are many different forms, so test which one works best for you and your needs.

Focused Breathing Techniques  

These can assist in calming your mind and body in a matter of minutes! Crazy right? This technique is so subtle people around you won't even know you're doing them. This technique would be perfect right before entering an interview.

How this method works:

Breathe in deeply through your nose, holding that breath for 3 seconds, then releasing. Furthermore, the technique suggests that when breathing out, control your breath. On the exhale, envision all the stress and tension leaving your body.

Take a Walk  

Taking yourself on a scenic walk helps to relieve stress in minutes! It helps to transform your frame of mind and to project your focus elsewhere. It doesn't have to be a long hike either. Whether you have 5 minutes left of your work break or take a different route on your way home, it all helps!

A Hug from a Loved One 

The effect receiving a hug can give a person is overlooked, particularly from a loved one. During a hug, a hormone called Oxytocin gets released through your body. Additionally, this hormone is known as the cuddle hormone. The reasoning behind this is that Oxytocin helps to relieve stress, as well as increase happiness.

However, there is no need to be afraid to ask a loved one for a hug, should you feel you need one. It is beneficial to both people, especially as it is one of the simplest methods of relieving stress and doesn't cost a penny.

Long-Term Fixes for Lasting Health  

Sometimes, short-term fixes don't provide enough relief from stress. If so, then these strategies may be of more benefit to your situation. To maximise the benefits these strategies can provide, a more conscious effort is required. Although they take more patience than short-term fixes, these strategies help to create healthy habits. Consequently, these strategies will become a part of your daily routine, which you will exercise without thinking about it.

Examples of long-term strategies include:

Eating a Balanced Diet 

Frequently consuming foods that are high in fat and sugar can provide temporary relief from stress. However, long-term they become more damaging and harm your long-term stress. High-sugar foods create a spike in blood sugar, which eventually crashes. As a result of blood sugar crashing, episodes of stress and anxiety are more likely to be experienced.

A healthy diet assists your mind and body by helping to relieve stress over long durations. Foods that help support positive moods are avocadoes, eggs and walnuts.

Allocating Time for Activities

It is common for people to feel like they do not have enough time for leisure activities. On the other hand, making time for hobbies and games relieves stress from everyday life, so why not add fun into your routine? Remember, having fun has no age limit!

For instance, feeling good on the inside helps you feel and look good on the outside. Feeling positive about yourself corresponds to your performed tasks and provides more efficient work habits.

Finding the best methods to relieve stress can take time and practice. Try not to give up straight away, even if your first efforts failed to help. Be patient with yourself, as results rarely happen overnight. Despite this, persevering with it is so beneficial to your wellbeing. Never give up on yourself and make sure you get support when you need it!

Written By Guest Writer

Nicole Foulkes

Call our Experts now if you are struggling with stress.